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Thursday, February 14, 2008

Bee my Valentine

Every year for years I have made Valentines to send to friends and family. I do this instead of sending Christmas cards. I used to make woodblock prints, or silk-screen prints, but in recent years I have made a small piece of fabric art that I have photocopies made from. (here and here) This year time got away from me, so I recycled an image. I used the quilt I made for the Twelve by Twelve group's "dandelion" challenge.

The tagline is a terrible pun, but it reminded me of the valentines I used to give and recieve as a child. I could hardly wait for Valentine's Day. Even though I always loved making things, I wasn't the kid who made her own Valentine's back then. Oh, no. I could hardly wait to buy my box of Valentines and see what hilarious lines the clever Valentine fairies had come up with that year. I carefully punched out each valentine from the background card they came on and addressed one to each member of my class at Jefferson Elementary School. I was very careful to choose Valentines for the boys in my class that made no references to love, kissing or anything that could be construed as a sign of affection. The jokier the better. If there was an animal portrayed, especially a pig, those were the ones the boys got. It was not cool to give gushy Valentines to boys. Valentines were deposited in our specially decorated shoeboxes prior to the inclass Valentine Party (sugar fest). I kept all my valentines for years. Wish I still had them. They just don't make them like they used to.

Oh so you were not one of those agonised teens hopeing and hopeing that you would get a Valentines and knowing you would not then pretending it was a stupid day anyway... me, know what that was like? Take the fifth please!